Jewish Peace News (JPN) is an information service that circulates news clippings, analyses, editorial commentary, and action alerts concerning the Israel / Palestine conflict. We work to promote a just resolution to the conflict; we believe that the cause of both peace and justice will be served when Israel ends the occupation, withdrawing completely from the Palestinian territories and finding a solution to the Palestinian refugee crisis within the framework of international law.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

It's not only that racism in Israel is growing, writes Jonathan Cook, it's also that "racism in Israel is increasingly enjoying high-level sanction among the most influential sectors of the religious establishment", and that many of the people who promote and make hateful pronouncements get paid with tax-payer money. They also run many state-financed schools, where they get the opportunity to influence the young.It's important to add that most establishment rabbis and other officials - who haven't signed on to some of the hateful declarations, have not taken a public stance against it, either.

Jews must not rent homes to "gentiles". That was the religious decree issued this week by at least 50 of Israel's leading rabbis, many of them employed by the state as municipal religious leaders. Jews should first warn, then "ostracise" fellow Jews who fail to heed the directive, the rabbis declared.

The decree is the latest in a wave of racist pronouncements from some of Israel's most influential rabbis.

In October, Shmuel Eliyahu, the chief rabbi of Safed, delivered a ruling, signed by 17 other rabbis in the city, telling Jewish residents not to sell or rent property to members of the country's Palestinian Arab minority, who make up a fifth of the population.

His followers turned words into deeds by attacking Arab students in the city and threatening to burn down the homes of Jewish landlords renting to the students.

Similar edicts have recently been backed by dozens of rabbis in Tel Aviv and nearby Bnei Brak, a suburb of 150,000 mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews. They have threatened to "expose" any Jews who rent to "foreigners" -- in this case, a reference to migrant workers and African refugees who are crowded into neglected neighbourhoods in the centre of the country.

After many weeks of silence on these declarations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was finally forced to issue a condemnation yesterday, describing the rabbis' call as undemocratic and contradicting the bible, which, he said, called for Jews to "love the stranger".

Nonetheless, racism in Israel is increasingly enjoying high-level sanction among the most influential sectors of the religious establishment.

The latest ruling was signed by Shlomo Aviner, a spiritual leader of Israel's national-religious camp; Yosef Elyashiv, a senior ultra-Orthodox rabbi; and Avigdor Neventzal, rabbi of Jerusalem's Old City.

Its sentiments have also been echoed by Ovadia Yosef, a former chief rabbi of Israel and the spiritual leader of Shas, an important political and religious party in Mr Netanyahu's government. "Selling to [non-Jews], even for a lot of money, is not allowed. We won't let them take control of us here," Mr Yosef said recently.

Two months ago, Mr Yosef explained the logic behind his views and those of like-minded rabbis.

"Goyim [non-Jews] were born only to serve us." Explaining why God allowed non-Jews long lives, he added: "Imagine that your donkey would die, you'd lose your income. [The donkey] is your servant. ... That's why he [the gentile] gets a long life, to work well for the Jew."

Mr Yosef's remarks against "gentiles" were greeted with respectful silence by Israeli officials and most of the media. It was left to the United States government and the New York-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to issue rebukes. Abraham Foxman, the ADL's head, accused the rabbi of advancing "hateful and divisive ideas".

The rabbis' use of theology to support racial discrimination is being applied to more than just housing.

This summer, Yosef Elitzur and Yitzhak Shapira, who head an influential seminary in the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar, published The King's Torah, a 230-page guide to how Jews should treat non-Jews.

The two rabbis concluded that Jews were obligated to kill anyone who posed a danger, immediate or potential, to the Jewish people, and implied that all Palestinians were to be considered a threat. On these grounds, the pair justified killing Palestinian civilians and even their babies.

Last month Mr Shapira also backed the use of Palestinians as human shields, a war crime under the Fourth Geneva Convention, and a practice that Israel's supreme court has outlawed.

The King's Torah, far from being condemned by moderate rabbis, has been greeted with a general silence and enthusiastic support from a number of notable religious leaders.

Arik Ascherman, head of Rabbis for Human Rights in Israel, said the growing extremism of the the Orthodox religious establishment in Israel reflected the increasingly right-wing atmosphere in Israel that made the expression of ultra-nationalist views permissible.In the current climate, he said, moderate rabbis were reluctant to speak out against their colleagues. Many of these rabbis belong to the Conservative or Reform streams of Judaism, which are not officially recognised in Israel.

"The religious sanction being given to the political right by these rabbis is dangerous. It makes their opinions seem more acceptable," he said.

That is being reflected in public surveys, in which many Israeli Jews express support for anti-Arab views. A poll by the Israeli Democracy Institute published last week showed that 46 per cent of the country's Jews did not want to live near Arab citizens, and 39 per cent felt the same about foreign workers.

Even more, 53 per cent, wanted Arab citizens to be encouraged to leave Israel and half believed Arabs should not have equal rights with Jews. Among the religious public, racist sentiments were more popular.

Israeli prosecutors, meanwhile, have turned a blind eye to the refusal of several prominent endorsers of The King's Torah to obey a summons calling them for investigation. "Our holy Torah is not a subject for investigation or trial by flesh and blood," the rabbis said.

In all, the rabbinical establishment is growing increasingly bold in promoting its vision of a Jewish state run according to holy law, according to Zvi Barel, a commentator with the daily newspaper Haaretz.

"They and their supporters are transforming zealous fundamentalism and the shameful The King's Torah into the mainstream," Mr Barel wrote recently.

The general trend towards extremism has not happened by chance, said Sefi Rachelevsky, a prominent Israeli writer critical of the Orthodox rabbinate. Israel's public coffers pay the salaries of some of the most extremist rabbis, and the education system regularly falls under the political control of religious parties like Shas.

Mr Shapira, who advocates killing non-Jewish babies, receives large sums from the education ministry for his yeshiva -- a seminary where he spreads his message of hate. Religious students also receive extra subsidies unavailable to normal students to encourage their attendance at such yeshivas.

The rabbis exert their influence on the youngest and most impressionable too. When the new school year started in September, 52 per cent of Jewish children in first grade attended a strictly religious school.

Pupils in some of the most religious schools, Mr Rachlevsky pointed out, are taught that Jews sit above nature, which comprises four categories: "inanimate", "vegetable", "animal" and "speakers" -- or non-Jews, who are considered no more than talking animals.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

The following Haaretz report, quoting Gretta Duisenberg's statement "...I am almost proud to be called 'antisemitic' ", as "proof" that antisemitism is rampant in Europe, raises an interesting question: Do pillars of Israel's Hasbara (propaganda) community regard prominent European anti-apartheid/anti-occupation activists as fools (and even complete morons), or do these pillar-figures take us all (not just Haaretz's gullible staff) for fools? Well, interesting nuances...

A suggested answer: The aforementioned European activists are intelligent (not to mention conscientious) people, and when irrelevant insults are constantly hurled at them for their international-law based criticism of Israeli policies, they will eventually say:"Look, I am tired of having to prove to you that I am not antisemitic. If my criticism amounts to antisemitism, in your perverted view, just carry on with this charade".

Fellow Israeli citizens have sent the following letter to Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld, the "antisemite-hunter" mentioned in the article. Perhaps one day he will care to reply.

When "antisemitic" is the label people like you choose to attach to decent activists who are vehemently opposed to Israel's apartheid and occupation policies, this label becomes a badge of honor. This is our view, and to the best of our knowledge, this is also what Ms. Duisenberg stated.

Demagoguery will erode the true meaning of antisemitism, and that, we believe, is not in our best interest.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

The Coalition of Women for Peace, one of the leading groups currently active in resisting Israel's entrenched occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as its internal oppression of marginalized groups, has just issued a milestone report. The report provides an insightful, highly instructive and carefully researched analysis of the accelerated anti-democratic thrust of Israel's current regime, shored up by its civil society henchmen. It presents detailed documentation of the various strands of this process, while enabling an understanding of their overall cohesion in an unprecedented assault on the vestiges of democracy in Israel.

A must read, in my view, for anyone who cares about either democracy or Palestine/Israel.

Rela Mazali

--------------------------------------------

CWP Update: New Report "All-Out War: Israel Against Democracy"

1. Comprehensive Report on Intensifying Political Persecution in Israel

CWP published a new report today, titled "All-Out War: Israel Against Democracy." This comprehensive report documents the increasing political persecution of peace and human rights organizations and activists, and describes the connections between the assaults led by Israeli government officials, security forces, courts, journalists, and extreme-right organizations in this well-orchestrated offensive on democracy.

"In the past two years, CWP has witnessed a growing wave of assaults on Israeli peace and human rights NGOs, and delegitimization and persecution of Jewish and Palestinian human rights defenders," states the report. "According to our research and analysis, the assault on Gaza between December 2008 and January 2009, and the subsequent Goldstone Report, increased and accelerated international pressure on Israel to end the occupation. Thus, voices of resistance within Israel, and the support and information they provide to international bodies and to the global peace movement, have become a strategic threat to the continued enforcement of the occupation. Silencing them has therefore become a primary goal for the Israeli government and Knesset and for right-wing movements within Israel."

But the report ends with the somewhat optimistic conclusion that: "The rise of such a coordinated offensive against the forces fighting the occupation, specifically at this moment in time, indicates the success of the local and global movements against the occupation [...] This means that Israel will sooner or later have to address the criticism it attempts to suppress today." The report marks the launch of a new CWP campaign responding to this political persecution.

2. Petition to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression

CWP's new report on the growing political persecution in Israel, and specific cases of violations of freedom of expression of human rights NGOs, peace activists, academics, and Arab Members of Knesset, were sent today to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion, Frank La Rue. The report was sent following a request from La Rue for information on violations of freedom of expression, for his upcoming visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in January.

Among the examples of violations of freedom of expression and opinion documented in the report: anti-democratic bills proposed in the Knesset, such as the Nakba Bill, a proposed bill to dismantle NGOs that aid in the prosecution of Israeli officials abroad, and the Prohibition on Instituting a Boycott Bill; the recurring assaults on Arab Members of Knesset; police brutality against protesters in solidarity vigils in Sheikh Jarrah and in peace demonstration during the assault on Gaza; and the attacks on leftist Israeli academics, led by the Minister of Education, Gideon Saar, and by the extreme right-wing movement Im Tirtzu.

"The circumstances and cases described raise concerns regarding an orchestrated and widespread assault on the freedom of expression and opinion of Israeli human rights and peace organizations and Palestinian and Israeli human rights defenders," concludes the letter sent to the UN Special Rapporteur. "Based on the documents we have enclosed, we respectfully request that you investigate these matters and communicate your concerns to the government of Israel and to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights."

Sunday, December 5, 2010

In the second piece below, Israeli activist Nurit Peled-Elhanan comments on the recent appointment of a new Deputy Chief of Staff, Yair Naveh, who orchestrated (at least some of) Israel's summary executions widely wordwashed as "targeted assassinations." Peled-Elhanan claims the appointment is, in fact, apt and fitting to the deeds and spirit of Israel's army. In response to these and to the appointment, she says, it is the parents and educators of Israel who bear responsibility for taking action.

She writes, "We must gather up our courage and teach our children to refuse. Refuse to take part in an organization that is led by war criminals, murderers of children. An organization like that cannot be anything but a crime organization. … There are so many possibilities, children, to contribute to society, to the state if you will … And those possibilities do not include the uniform of the IDF, nor its guns, nor its bombs or its commanders the model and paragon of whom is Yair Naveh, one of many whose orders you should never obey."

Peled-Elhanan is one of a group of activists who, along with the Yesh Gvul human rights NGO, has petitioned the High Court of Justice to disallow Naveh's appointment (see Ynet item at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3990817,00.html). The opening piece below is Yesh Gvul's December 4th press release announcing the petition.

The blogger Richard Silverstein has described Naveh as having "the distinction of being responsible for the Palestinian targeted killings which Anat Kamm leaked to Haaretz journalist, Uri Blau. These West Bank murders completely contravened Supreme Court rulings which directed that such assassinations be avoided if there were civilians present and likely to be harmed; or if there were non-violent means available to apprehend the suspects." Naveh, however, when questioned on the contradiction reportedly commented, "Stop bothering me with the rulings of the Supreme Court. I don't know when they apply and when they don't. I do know that targeted killings work and prevent terror attacks. I take my orders from the operations command."

Yesh Gvul and Israeli public figures have petitioned the High Court of justice, against the appointment of Yair Naveh as the IDF's Deputy Chief of General Staff (and the 2nd in command).

This petition follows our previous petition against the appointment of Yoav Galant as IDF Chief of General Staff.

The petitioners claim that Naveh acted in total contravention of judge Aharon Barak's instructions, given in his decision on the targeted assassinations case. Therefore, in addition to committing acts which may amount to war crimes, his behavior is also a blatant violation of the rule of law. We believe that a functioning democracy would have initiated legal proceures against Naveh.

NURIT PELED-ELHANAN: ON THE APPOINTMENT OF YAIR NAVEH AS DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF

Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 11:53PM Gilad Atzmon

The great wonderment with which the appointment of Yair Naveh has been greeted is itself to be wondered at. After all, who else could be appointed as the Deputy Chief of Staff if not Yair Naveh? Who else loves to immediately assassinate everyone who looks suspicious to him, to immediately kill whoever moves, to destroy, to devastate, to conquer, to crush? Yair Naveh is one of the best sons of the army, he learned everything he had to learn and proved himself in the field. The High Court of Justice does not interest him in the least (Uri Blau, thanks to information provided by ex-soldier Anat Kamm, Haaretz, 28 November 2008), he does not recognize human rights, he hates Arabs – or maybe they just get in his way at work. But to kill, he loves. What else is needed in a Deputy Chief of Staff of the Occupation army the function of the soldiers and officers of which has been well defined over the course of forty years: killing, liquidation, destruction, devastation and abusing a civilianpopulation of millions of people?

But those who wonder at his appointment and want to thwart it are still infused with a kind of groundless romanticism about the Israeli Occupation Army. A romanticism that claims that people like Yair Naveh are the exceptions and we must not leave the army in their hands. Nor in the hands of the settlers, nor of the mercenaries or the rabbis who preach the murder of non- Jewish children, nor of the pilots who feel a bump on the wing when they release a bomb over an inhabited house [1] nor in the hands of girl-soldiers like Eden Aberjil or in the hands of commanders like Col. Bentzi Gruber who is absolutely certain that the slaughter in Gaza was an expression of the justice of the path and that God is therefore on our side, that the killing of hundreds of children in Gaza was done according to the ethical code of the IDF that set moral boundaries for us and therefore "it is not possible that we harmed innocents," and who does not understand why he is getting unpleasant let ters thatscare his wife in her beautiful reinforced house in a settlement (Yediot Aharonot, Friday 26/11.2010). In whose hands, then, should we leave the army? Maybe in the hands of those who participated as observers and helpers at the massacre at Sabra and Shatilla (see Oscar Nominated Walse with Bashir) and whose souls have been troubled since then to this very day, or in the hands of those who Break the Silence because they cannot bear the burden of their crimes and are haunted day and night by the horrified look in the eyes of a small girl in Gaza/Jenin/Nablus/Beit Umar/Bil'in/Ni'lin/Sheikh Jarrah/Beit Hanun/Jabaliya/Qalqiliya or Hebron, or in the hands of the female soldiers who, unlike Eden Aberjil, have difficulty remembering if they had smiled when they were photographed beside the corpse of a child in Hebron, for the fun of it, for the guys, for the gigs, and whose lives have been constantly troubled ever since they were released from service in the army of killing and r ealizedwhat they had done?[3]

Yair Naveh, his pupils and his teachers, prevent us from fantasizing and believing despite all the evidence that forty years of abuse, killing and destruction are exceptions to the ethical code of the most immoral army in the world. The appointment of Yair Naveh prevents us from continuing to tell our pure, young, enthusiastic children who want to contribute and act and build and educate, who flow into the pre-army programmes with a wonderful fervour of self-realization, sure that they can bring about change 'from within,' that everything will be all right if only they enlist in the right units - the "combat" units – that is, the units of murder and killing and liquidation, or at least in the "combat support" units – those that provide training in killing and murder and that strengthen our forces; the appointment of Yair Naveh prevents us from continuing to tell our children that in reply to the rabbis' pamphlets that call for killing and slaughter, they can dis tributetheir own - and our - doctrine of peace and brotherhood among the IDF troops.

The appointment of Yair Naveh is a fitting one. None is more suitable than he to stand nearly at the head of the most immoral army in the world, the cruellest army in the world that considers itself enlightened. An army with unlimited supplies of money and power and periodically mercenaries (have they judaized all of them yet?), a mob immersed in impulses and interests not one of which is moral. That is the meaning of an army. For that reason it is not Yair Naveh but us – who have to resign from the role of creating soldiers, providing soldiers, giving birth to soldiers and educating future soldiers. We must gather up our courage and teach our children to refuse. Refuse to take part in an organization that is led by war criminals, murderers of children. An organization like that cannot be anything but a crime organization. Avoid it like you would avoid live fire, we should tell them, and think of other ways to contribute to the society in which you live. Maybe you can go to live inYeruham for three years, help Ethiopian children who are treated with blatant racism in their promised land, or go live in Bil'in or Ni'lin or in any other Palestinian village that the army has set its eye to destroying? Maybe you can organize more and more rescue boats to Gaza? Maybe you can block the path with your bodies when police and soldiers come to throw children out onto the street in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan? Maybe you can help refugees who come to our shores fleeing from holocaust or genocide because they heard that there was democracy here, and help them to hide, to cope, to escape from the cruel racist government of the democracy of the Jews? Maybe you can save the Dead Sea? There are so many possibilities, children, to contribute to society, to the state if you will, to the place where you live. And those possibilities do not include the uniform of the IDF, nor its guns, nor its bombs or its commanders the model and paragon of whom is Yair Naveh, one of man y whoseorders you should never obey.

So it is to our advantage that one should see such a man standing at the head of the army – or nearly so. The appointment of Yair Naveh will permit us to point to a specific object and say to our children: do you see? That is the bad man. Do not go near. And when they ask in fear: what does he do to children? – We will tell them: he kills them, just like that, without the High Court of Justice and without Btselem. [2]

Translated from Hebrew by George Malent

\Translator's notes\

1. In August 2002, shortly after the Israeli Air Force dropped a one-ton bomb on a house in Gaza, killing Hamas leader Salah Shehadeh along with 14 innocent civilians, most of whom were children, the commander of the Air Force, Dan Halutz, was asked how he felt as a pilot when he dropped a bomb. He replied: "I feel a light bump on the plane as a result of the release of the bomb. A second later, it's over. And that's all. That's what I feel." Halutz was later appointed Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces. (Vered Levi-Barzilai, "Yefei nefesh, nim'astem", Haaretz, 23 Aug. 2002. In Hebrew. http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=543557 )

2. Btselem: an Israeli human rights organization that monitors abuses by the Israeli army and police in the West Bank. Website: http://www.btselem.org/English/index.asp . Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin said he wished he could deal with "Palestinian terrorists" "Without the high court and without Betselem"